MADISON, Wis. -- Madison school Superintendent Art Rainwater is officially off the clock.

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After 14 years of work in Madison, Rainwater stepped down from his post at noon on Monday.

"This will be the first year that I haven't been involved with school since 1948, so it's been my whole life," Rainwater said.

Rainwater came to Madison in 1994 as deputy superintendent. He said all it took was a visit to the Farmers' Market on the Saturday before his interview for him to realize that he was home.

He took the helm as superintendent in 1999.

"I always felt it was a position that I could do the most, with the most children," said Rainwater. "I think that's certainly what drove me to be a superintendent."

Rainwater said that one of the challenges that he constantly faced during his tenure was trying to keep up with very different and changing demographics of children in the district, but he said the biggest challenge was always the budget.

"That certainly was the most challenging," he said. "And while I believe we've really been able to maintain our quality, if you stop and think what we could be, with $60 million more, then you realize that although we've remained the same, I believe we would be much further ahead."

Rainwater said what he'll miss most are the children and people with home he worked.

"It's a wonderful town, one that has very much become home to my wife and I," said Rainwater. "So we will continue to be here."

Rainwater and his wife Marsha plan to remain in Madison. He said he'll spend the next few months with his family.

After that, he said he will look at some options that might bring him back into education as a part-time writer or lecturer.

Rainwater's replacement, Daniel Nerad, takes over on Tuesday morning.